Visions of the Heart
by bronwynnandprairie24lichee
Summary: After the fall of Thundera, the one remaining cleric works hard to develop her sixth sense to save her king from impending danger.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: We do not own ThunderCats. If we did, Lion-O and Cheetara would be a couple.

**Visions of the Heart**

**Prologue**

_Pain. Screaming. Fire. They are all around her. The kingdom that has always made her feel so safe is falling. The air she breathes is hot and she can smell death in the air. _

_She looks upon the city walls__—__the fortress she had believed to be impenetrable is crumbling around her. Explosions were shaking the very ground on which she stood and she felt the heat of the burning aftermath through her robes. _

_Her mentor calls for her__—tells her to ready herself to defend their kingdom. The Clerics rush into battle as they had been trained to do. It all happens so quickly._

_A different scene. The King. She can sense his pain. King Claudus looks upon an old friend as his capital city is engulfed in flames. The King is betrayed as the life of another old friend hangs in uncertainty as the Clerics arrive to protect the King. _

_She stays close to Jaga during the battle, afraid to move too far from his side. She wields her staff and takes down many who threaten Thundera, but for every man who falls a dozen more came forward. _

_The betrayer stands in his way—technology seeming too much for their weapons. _

"_Your rule has come to a long overdue end, Claudus. Now drop your inferior weapons. How can you defeat technology if you don't even understand it?" The betrayer taunts him._

_Prince Lion-O. "Luckily I know a thing or two about it, you traitor!" The Prince hurls the exploding disc and it landed on the huge mecha, bringing it down in seconds. _

_Claudus looks upon his son with new eyes. Lion-O had been undaunted in his pursuit of technology even as his own father and brother scoffed at him. Claudus felt in that moment the utmost respect and pride for his son. He bowed his head to him and in that instant, the King understood that his son had not been merely a dreamer but rather he had been acting like a ruler. _

_Claudus frees his old friend; but she can sense the evil in him. He is not who he appears to be. As his sons look on in horror, the imposter strikes._

"_Father! Noooo!" Lion-O yells. She can feel the pain in his voice._

_The Princes drag their father to the water's edge and listen to his final words. "No matter what happens… you made me proud today." The King takes his final breath and the Gauntlet turns dark. The King is dead._

The cheetah's eyes snapped open and she gasped in a breath as she felt her heart pounding in her chest. Her mentor was by her side now and she could feel his comforting presence. She knew that he was speaking to her, but her mind was still hazy− the sound of her bloodflow pounding in her ears making her unable to process what she was hearing.

The images still floated hazily in her mind; hazy now but they frightened her— threatened her very existence. The world she knew and all the comfort it gave her was on the verge of change. She had seen it—felt it. Yet, her visions were incomplete. She could not see the face of the betrayer, only those faces she knew—Jaga, King Claudus and the princes.

Her heartbeat slowed and she was able to catch her breath enough to speak. Her mentor's reassuring words were of little comfort to her as she felt the frustration of her inability to control her visions.

"Jaga. I saw… I…"

"Start from the beginning Cheetara. Take your time."

She tried to swallow and found her mouth as dry as cotton. Her hands trembled violently, so she clasped them together in her lap to still their movement. With a mighty effort, she managed to wrangle her swirling thoughts and herd them into some semblance of order.

"Thundera was under attack," she said softly, her eyes closing as she relived her vision. Her voice sounded scratchy to her ears. She attempted to clear her throat and continued. "The smoke was thick and I could smell death, so much death."

She opened her eyes then and looked up at Jaga, finding him staring at her intently, his face expressionless. "The city was crumbling, Jaga. Someone, I couldn't see his face, betrayed King Claudus." She brushed her blonde hair from her face with a shaky hand. "The Clerics were fighting, but there were too many attackers. We couldn't keep up."

Standing on legs that felt like jelly, Cheetara wrapped her arms around herself in a hug. "Jaga, the invaders had technology. It wasn't mythical. It was real. Prince Lion-O knew how to wield it, but it wasn't enough. King Claudus fell." She nearly choked on the last word.

Cheetara kept her perception of Lion-O's pain to herself. It seemed like she had glimpsed the young lion's soul, and she didn't feel comfortable sharing that with anyone, not even Jaga.

"Jaga, we have to warn King Claudus." Her eyes were open wide, fear and frustration burning brightly. "If only I could see the attackers' faces. Maybe if I try harder I can-"

"Cheetara, these visions you have are a special gift. In time, you will learn to hone your skills, but it will take meditation and practice." Jaga smiled kindly at her although she could see worry lines etched in his brow.

"But Jaga," she protested, "there is no time! We need to warn the king now! What good are my visions if I can't use them to help?" Tears of frustration burned her eyelids, but she blinked hastily and refused to let them fall.

"Then come. We will tell him together." Jaga took her arm and led her from courtyard of the Clerics' Sanctuary toward the main road that led to the palace.

Cheetara's stomach churned as images from her vision floated through her mind—the sense of betrayal and pain Claudus felt, the shock that the mighty Thundera had fallen, but most of all the hurt in Lion-O's wide-eyed gaze. Those blue eyes haunted her thoughts as she stumbled along the road next to Jaga dreading her encounter with her King.

A roaring whine filled the air as they neared the palace. Both Jaga and Cheetara looked up to see a streak of red shooting through the sky overhead. The ground trembled as an explosion shook the very foundations of the city.

Cheetara was thrown to her knees and the acrid smell of smoke burned her lungs. She looked up at Jaga, horrified. "The attack - it's starting."


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: We do not own ThunderCats.**

**Visions of the Heart**

**Chapter 1**

Cheetara poured the sacred powder onto the pyre and stood back to let the princes mourn their father. She had seen funeral rites performed so many times yet she had never conducted the ritual herself—there had always been another Cleric with far more experience to perform the funeral ceremony.

The King lay motionless as the flames engulfed him. Claudus looked as powerful in death as he did in life, the fact of his death still seemed an aberration. Thundera, an opulent capital city only hours before, was now a smoking ruin. Death hung in the air and the eerie silence of the once vibrant city seemed to smother them like a blanket.

Cheetara was the only surviving Cleric. Her mentor had anointed Lion-O as king and then sacrificed himself to buy them time to escape. The cheetah had never felt so alone—barely nineteen and she was now tasked with carrying on the legacy of the Clericy. She was afraid to fail—afraid to dishonor Jaga's memory. But she already felt like a failure for not having been able to control her vision and for her inability to prevent the inevitable outcome of the surprise attack.

She was roused from her reverie as she saw the young king—his azure eyes filled with fear and anger. The cheetah had always been able to easily perceive the emotions of others—Jaga had regarded her 'sixth sense' as being part of her talent, but she learned years ago that people did not appreciate her ability to read them so meticulously.

From that point on, Cheetara was careful to not let on that she was so perceptive as to the emotions of others, but relied upon her ability to gauge her interactions with others. She sensed a barrage of confused emotions swirling in the heads and hearts of the brothers. They felt lost without the guidance of their father. They still struggled with disbelief that such destruction had befallen their kingdom. They felt anger that they were unable to do more to alter the outcome. Mostly, though, she sensed their sadness—anguish at the loss of their world as they had known it.

King Lion-O knew he must be the one to plan their course of action. He mustered a determined voice to tell them of their quest and he did so with confidence, but his eyes betrayed him. She sensed that he felt as lost as she did. As she looked into the eyes of the young king, she recognized his anguish and felt her heart warm with empathy. As a cleric, the protection of the king and prince was her duty to perform. Yet in that moment she felt more than obligation of duty—she felt an affinity for the young king. She would let no harm come to him.

It was with heavy hearts that the new king, the prince, and the cleric left their destroyed city. "We will avenge your death, Father," Lion-O whispered, as his blue eyes focused on the last wisps of smoke rising from the funeral pyre.

Forcing himself to turn away, he led the small group of survivors down the main road that led out of the city. They skirted the piles of rubble and climbed over it when necessary. Lion-O's eyes roamed the edges of the street, searching for other cats among the ruins. The city was eerily quiet in the late afternoon sunlight. Smoke still rose from fires smoldering all over the city, but there was no sign of life.

He pulled his cloak tighter around his body as a cold breeze blew down from the mountains. Yesterday at this time he was safely hidden away in the palace tinkering with his latest piece of tech, and now his home had been destroyed and his father killed. His gut churned and he swallowed back the bile that rose in the back of his throat. Glancing at the young cleric that walked at his side, he took in the sadness that graced her pretty features.

Cheetara, the brave young cleric that had risked her life to save his backside over the past few days, had lost Jaga, her mentor and head cleric. She must be experiencing some of the same feelings of loss as he and Tygra.

Lion-O watched as she hugged herself beneath her cloak and bit her bottom lip as if fighting tears. Then, squaring her shoulders, she straightened and sucked in a deep breath. Cheetara was strong and Lion-O found himself glad to have her by his side as they fought this war.

A sound to their right made all three of them and Snarf stop and squint into the shadows of twilight. "Who's there?" Lion-O called out. "Show yourself!" His hand drifted to the hilt of the Sword of Omens and he felt Cheetara tense next to him as she readied her staff before her. On his left, Tygra gripped the handle of his whip, ready to spring into action.

To the young king's surprise, two small children stepped out from behind the ruins of a crumbled building. The boy placed himself in front of a little girl that looked to be the same age, about eight or nine. "We're just looking for food," the boy said sharply, his stance letting them know that he was ready to defend the girl.

"Princes Lion-O and Tygra!" the little girl squealed as she darted around her brother.

Lion-O frowned. What were they supposed to do with these children? How could they search for the Book of Omens and babysit at the same time?

"We thought we were the only ones left," the boy said as he scampered to the girl's side. "I'm Wilykat and this is my sister Wilykit." Both kittens bowed before the older cats.

"I'm Cheetara," the cleric offered with a gentle smile as she studied the children. Both had curious eyes and mischievous grins. "Where are you going to stay tonight?"

Wilykat shrugged. "We'll probably make camp somewhere in the rubble. I can build a fire. We're used to being on our own."

Cheetara frowned. "It's not safe," she began.

"Can we come with you?" Wilykit asked eagerly. "We wouldn't be any trouble." She turned her pleading eyes to each adult.

Lion-O shook his head. "It's too dangerous. Our journey is no place for children."

"What are we going to do, leave them here alone?" Tygra asked. He studied the two small cats before them, both too young to be left by themselves in the ruins of Thundera.

Despite his trepidation for their safety, the young king did not order the kittens to stop following them. The group traveled silently for hours until Lion-O finally spoke. "It's getting late. We should set up camp for the night. "

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Tygra would take on the task of finding dinner, Cheetara would gather firewood and Lion-O would clear the site of debris and fetch drinking water from the stream nearby. The kittens surprised the older cats by splitting up— Kat following Tygra to lend a hand and Kit staying with Cheetara for firewood detail.

Lion-O made fast work of clearing the area and unpacking their supplies. As the lion was filling a bucket with fresh water at the stream, Cheetara and Kit returned and made quick work of starting the fire. Tygra and Kat successfully managed to procure some fish for dinner.

After dinner Cheetara spoke up. "I'll clean the dishes and pan in the stream." The cheetah gathered up the items and made her way to the stream, leaving the rest of their weary team to rest a bit from their long journey.

As she scrubbed the pan with a cloth, the cleric let her mind wander. She thought of Jaga and felt a stab of pain in her heart as she realized how lost she would be without his guidance. Jaga had always called her ability to sense things a gift, but the cheetah wasn't so sure. She knew that many people were uncomfortable with the knowledge that she was so perceptive at reading people.

Her visions were another matter entirely. Jaga believed that she was blessed with a sixth sense and he had been diligently practicing with her throughout the years to help her harness and control her ability. Years later, however, Cheetara was convinced that her visions were as uncontrollable as they were cryptic. The clearest vision she had ever had was of the fall of Thundera and the death of the King.

"A lot of good that vision was." She mumbled to herself as her hand scrubbed a particularly stubborn bit of food off the pan. "I had it moments before it the attack began. What good is that? I didn't even have time to warn anyone—to save anyone. I'm so sorry, Jaga." The cheetah sniffled and fought back her tears as she whispered, "I failed you."

The sound of a twig snapping nearby broke her from her reverie. She quickly turned to find Lion-O standing a few feet from her. His seemed to realize that he had caught her in a private moment and he stumbled for words.

"Ahh, hey, Cheetara. I didn't mean to..."

The cheetah's pale cheeks flushed pink. "No, Your Highness, I was just muttering to myself. It was nothing."

He looked at her and seemed to be thinking about his response carefully. "Cheetara," he began, "You fought bravely today and I know that Jaga would have been proud of you."

"Thank you, Lion-O, but I…"

"You had a vision of the attack before it occurred?" The lion spoke quickly, clearly uncomfortable about asking her for more details.

Cheetara was silent for a long moment before she looked up into the King's blue eyes and simply said, "Yes."

"How?" Lion-O struggled to find the right words. "I mean, was this your first vision or have you had them before?"

"I have had flashes of visions ever since I can remember, but they are glimpses—unclear and unpredictable," the cheetah confessed. "Jaga has been meditating with me for years to help me learn how to control them and interpret what I see; but, I'm not very good at it."

Lion-O was fascinated. He pressed her further. "What did you see in your vision of the attack?"

Cheetara recounted the entire vision for him down to the last detail. She confided in him but braced herself for his reaction once he realized that she had seen the death of his father but had been able to do nothing to prevent it. "I am so sorry, Lord Lion-O. If I had been better able to control and access my vision, King Claudus and Jaga might still be alive today.

The young king was quick to respond. "No Cheetara. None of this was your fault." Lion-O took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before he continued. "I, too, had a vision when I attempted to use Sight Beyond Sight, yet I didn't tell anyone."

"I don't understand." The cheetah looked intently at the lion, waiting for him to explain.

Lion-O scrubbed a hand through his thick red hair and shrugged, looking very much like a young boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Today for the first time I used the Sword of Omens and tried Sight Beyond Sight. I had a vision of MummRa. I told no one because I was afraid of disappointing my father and incurring Tygra's laughter."

The cheetah's brow furrowed. "Wouldn't your father be happy that you were able to have a vision using the Sword?"

Lion-O frowned. "My father saw me as a dreamer that would never grow up. I'm sure that a vision of MummRa would have been considered something out of my fantasy world." The young king's shoulders slumped and his mouth drooped at the corners as he picked up a stone and tossed it into the stream.

Cheetara watched him for a moment and mulled over his words. Lion-O was right. His father certainly grumbled that his youngest son needed to get his head out of the clouds. In fact, she had noticed King Claudus showing quite a bit of favoritism toward his eldest son, Prince Tygra.

"This isn't your fault, Lord Lion-O," she said softly, suddenly feeling fiercely protective of her blue-eyed king.

The lion turned to her with a smile. "Just Lion-O, Cheetara, please. I hope that we will become good friends as we embark on our journey."

The cheetah smiled. "Okay, Lion-O."

"And I was thinking," he began a bit bashfully, "maybe we can help each other. I can help you with your visions and you can help me with Sight Beyond Sight."

She nodded. "I'd like that. It will be nice to have someone to confide in about my visions. I miss Jaga already."

Lion-O nodded. "So do I, Cheetara."

The two cats fell silent as they pondered all they'd lost that day. Silently, they made their way back to camp with Lion-O carrying the clean dishes for Cheetara. She packed them away quietly in their bags and then settled on her bedroll by the fire. The kittens had already snuggled up in spare blankets and were sound asleep.

Tygra sat on his own bedroll gazing into the fire. "Where did you two run off to alone together?"

Lion-O rolled his eyes at his brother. "Don't start, Tygra. I'll take first watch."

"I was washing dishes and we were just talking," Cheetara yawned as she snuggled into her blankets. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," the tiger grumbled as he looked back and forth between his brother and the beautiful cheetah.

Cheetara turned her back to the brothers and stared out into the inky blackness. Tears burned behind her eyes and she let them fall silently down her cheeks. Jaga was gone. He had sacrificed himself so that they could live and find the Book of Omens. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in anguish at his loss. A sudden warmth beside her made her jump. She relaxed when she realized it was only Snarf. The little creature nosed its way under the edge of the blanket and curled into her side. She relished his company and felt her body relax, exhausted from a long, hard day.

Morning dawned clear and cool as Cheetara shook the kittens awake. They protested, but crawled from beneath their blankets into the frosty air. Tygra had a fire going and they soon enjoyed warm mush for breakfast. Cheetara slipped away for a few minutes of meditation time by herself. She felt at loose ends during the day if she didn't find time to meditate.

Settling by the stream, she closed her eyes and rested hands on her knees. She felt her body relax and then suddenly she was assaulted by a sudden image of Lion-O lying spread eagle on the ground with a bloody gash on his forehead.

Her eyes snapped open and her breath came in heavy gasps. Was Lion-O going to die? Was that what she had seen? Her hands shook and she felt like she was going to be sick.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned to find the king's smiling face. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: We do not own ThunderCats.**

**Visions of the Heart**

**Chapter 2**

The cheetah looked startled as she stared at her young king. She knew her breaths were coming in quick rasps and she swore that the lion could hear her heartbeat pounding in her chest.

"Cheetara, are you all right?" The lion's voice was laced with concern. "What happened… did you see… something?"

"I… I'm not sure." The cheetah wanted to tell him what she had seen, but it was such a quick flash that she wasn't sure exactly what to say. "I'm sorry Lion-O, but I'm afraid I'm a bit lost without Jaga's guidance."

Lion-O approached her slowly and settled down next to her. "I know that he was your mentor," the king began, "and I imagine that you're feeling about as lost as I am right now. My father never got the chance to guide me in the use of the sword either." The young king placed a hand on her shoulder and looked intently into her eyes. "I promise you that we're in this together, you and I. We'll figure out how to use these gifts that we've been given."

The cheetah immediately felt her tension release. She smiled at the red-headed lion and placed her hand on top of his. "Thank you. I can't tell you how much that means to me."

"Were you meditating?" the lion inquired.

"Yes. Or, at least I was trying to meditate." Cheetara sighed. "I am having some trouble focusing."

"Well, how about from now on, we try to meditate together?" He looked intently into her eyes. "You can teach me the basics and maybe it will help us both see things a bit more clearly."

"I would like that very much. How about we try it tonight after set up camp again? Maybe after dinner?"

"Consider it a date… um… what I meant was…"

The cheetah giggled and Lion-O's heart panged with warmth as he saw her face brighten, her laugh one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard. "I know what you meant."

Lion-O felt his cheeks flush, but managed to chuckle along with her.

"Um, Lion-O?" Cheetara worried her bottom lip, hesitant to continue and not meeting his eyes.

"What is it?" Lion-O studied her, wondering what thought had made her bright smile fade away.

"Maybe we can keep this… between us?" She forced her tangerine eye to meet his. "I don't think the rest of our group would understand."

Lion-O barked out a laugh. "Well, I don't know about the kittens, but Tygra sure would have something to say about it. So, our secret then?"

The cheetah nodded and smiled again. Lion-O stood and offered his hand to pull her up. "The others are waiting, so let's get moving before they send out a search party."

Tygra looked up curiously as they reentered the camp. "Took you long enough to find her," he growled.

"I was meditating," Cheetara said softly. "I'm ready to go now." She hoisted her pack on her back and started off down the path with Kit and Kat walking on either side of her chattering happily.

Lion-O and Tygra retrieved their packs and followed suit. They trudged down the road and found houses that had been gutted by the lizards in MummRa's army with no sign of the families that had once inhabited the dwellings. Sadness tugged at Cheetara's heart as she thought of the warmth and love that had once lived in these homes. She glanced at Lion-O and saw her feelings reflected in his face. His azure eyes were full of sadness and sorrow.

Before she could go to his side, Kit and Kat scampered on ahead and picked through the debris on the side of the road. Cheetara looked to her right as Tygra came up beside her. "How are you holding up?" he asked gently.

"I'm all right," she sighed. "And you?"

He shrugged. "I'll survive." He gave her a small smile. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Jaga was keeping me busy," she said. She didn't add that it was because of her frustrating visions that she spent extra time training.

"Imagine my surprise when I saw it was you in MummRa's temple."

"I had to stay with Jaga," she told the tiger. "I had to help him." Guilt assaulted her as she once again thought of her vision and wished that she could have done more to save Claudus' and Jaga's life.

She became aware of Lion-O's blue gaze fixed on her. She gave him a small smile to show that she was okay and turned her attention back to Tygra.

He grinned and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Now that we're traveling together maybe we can get better acquainted again."

Before she could answer, Kat ran up to them and held out his treasures. "Look what I found," he said excitedly. His hands contained a pile of various trinkets.

"That's great, Kat," Cheetara told him.

"Look at mine!" Kit echoed, not to be outdone by her brother.

Lion-O walked up on Cheetara's other side. "We should probably stop and think about lunch soon."

"Let's go fishing," Tygra suggested as the gurgle of a bubbling stream reached their ears.

"Yeah!" the kittens cheered jumping up and down.

Lion-O had no choice but to agree after seeing their excitement.

"Come on," Tygra told the cheetah, reaching for Cheetara's hand. "I'll show you how to catch fish with your hands."

Cheetara pressed her lips together and let him lead her to the pond. Wading into the water, she allowed him to make a big show of describing to her how to catch a fish. When one swam by close enough to brush against her leg, she focused and anticipated its movement, reaching down with her cheetah speed to catch it in a tight grasp before tossing it onto the grassy bank.

The kittens and Lion-O cheered for her while Tygra stared at her in shock. "That was incredible," he finally grinned.

She shrugged. "The speed helps."

With her help, it didn't take long to catch enough fish for lunch with some leftover for dinner. The kittens started a splashing war and soon involved Tygra in the foray. The stress of the past few days fell off of his face and he laughed along with them. Cheetara tried to slip out of the stream unnoticed; she didn't feel like laughing. Jaga's loss was still too fresh. Reaching for her arm, Tygra tugged her in front of him and the kittens soon had her soaked through.

Lion-O watched how his brother seemed to relate to the cheetah with practiced ease and jealousy churned in his gut. He shoved it away impatiently. He had other things to worry about like finding the Book of Omens and keeping himself and the other surviving ThunderCats alive.

They traveled the rest of the afternoon until darkness began to fall across the land. It didn't take long to set up camp and get a fire going. They ate a meager supper and then the kittens fell exhausted onto their bedrolls. Tygra settled by the fire as Cheetara slipped away to meditate. Lion-O used the excuse of washing their few dishes in the stream that ran nearby and hurried away to join her, eager to begin their first meditation session.

They made short order of cleaning the dishes and tableware before hastily tossing them into the bucket and setting it down next to the spot Cheetara had chosen for them to have their first meditation session. They made it a point to walk further down the stream to ensure privacy.

It was a beautiful and serene spot. The moonlight provided enough light so they could see each other if they were within a few feet of one another. They were far enough from camp that they couldn't hear the other Cats, crickets and the subtle sounds of the water flowing in the stream the only sounds breaking the silence of the evening.

Cheetara sat in a cross-legged position and motioned for Lion-O to do the same across from her. "Jaga found it easier to stay connected with me this way."

The lion nodded and waited for further instructions.

"Would you like to go first?" she inquired. "That way, I can talk you through the breathing exercises and try to guide you as Jaga has always done for me."

The young king, a bit nervous that he would be a total failure in his attempt to use Sight Beyond Sight, had hoped that he would go last, but the logic in her words made it difficult to disagree.

"Okay, I'll try. Just don't laugh if nothing happens." Lion-O tried to joke, but there was an element of nervousness in his words.

"Lion-O, I would never do that. I told you that my visions are completely out of my control. Even when I do see something, it doesn't always make sense and it often is just a flash." Cheetara sighed and ran her fingers though her long blonde hair, tucking it behind her ears. "I often wonder if my 'gift' is nothing more than a coincidence."

Lion-O relaxed as he realized that the cheetah was apparently as nervous and frustrated as he was. "Jaga didn't think so," the lion rebuked. "I've heard him telling my father about your sixth sense and how he was working with you to develop it. He believed in it whole-heartedly and I know that Jaga was a wise man who didn't put his faith in unworthy causes."

She looked up at the red haired king and couldn't help but smile. Lion-O wondered if she could hear his heart skip a beat from where she was sitting.

"Thank you, Lion-O." Relief was evident in her voice. "I don't know what I would do if you weren't here."

"Well, lucky that we won't have to find out because we're a team now." He smiled and his bright blue eyes caught the moonlight. She noticed that his eyes were stunning, even in the dim light of the moon.

She had always been a good judge of people—Jaga believed that was part of her talent, her sixth sense as he called it. She wasn't able to read minds, but she was able to get a general sense of whether or not someone was kind, trustworthy or genuine. Lion-O overwhelmed her intuition with a sense of honesty and kindness. Although his father didn't appreciate his unique view of how to rule Thundera, she believed in him and trusted him.

"Okay," he said as he fidgeted nervously after laying the Sword in front of him. "I'm ready."

"Close your eyes," the cheetah instructed and waited until he followed her direction. "Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth," she murmured softly. "In…..out….in…out." She waited patiently as Lion-O began to relax, the rigid set to his shoulders beginning to slacken. Jaga had always told her that the more uptight she was, the less she would take from her vision.

"That's right, Lion-O. In and out." After a while, the lion was completely relaxed. "When you feel ready, pick up the Sword." She waited and watched as his hands flexed where they rested on his thighs. Hesitantly, he picked up the Sword of Omens.

"Continue your breathing," she murmured in a low, even tone.

Lion-O held the Sword before his eyes and said in a voice that sounded slightly unsure, "Sword of Omens, give me Sight Beyond Sight." His crystal blue eyes widened as the Sword drew him into a vision.

Things were black for a moment, but slowly a shape began to materialize in the middle of his line of sight. It was technology as he had never seen it before. This, well, he didn't know what to call it other than a 'metal beast' was huge with claw-like feet that extended before it. It churned across the ground powerfully, the sleek silver beast shining in the sun. The thing moved with a roar, spitting dirt up behind it as it powered through the forest. And then the vision was gone and Lion-O was by the stream sitting across from the blonde-haired cheetah. He blinked and nearly dropped the Sword, startled to have lost the vision so suddenly.

Cheetara studied the young king before her. His blue eyes had become unfocused as the Eye of Thundera drew him in with its power. His face had gone still in concentration and his shoulders had stiffened once again. The cheetah could tell that he was trying too hard and tensing up as the vision unfolded. Suddenly, he jerked the Sword from his face and nearly dropped it. She stared at him and waited for him to speak.

Instead, he growled in frustration. "I lost it. Whiskers!"

"But you saw something," Cheetara stated.

Lion-O exhaled and stared morosely at the weapon he held gingerly in his hands. "Only a piece and I have no idea what it means."

"It's a start," she encouraged. "Do you want to tell me about it? Maybe we can figure it out together." She tilted her head to the side and gave the lion a friendly smile.

"Sure, okay," he said. "I saw technology, but nothing I have ever seen before. It was a big metal…..beast. I don't know another way to describe it," he apologized. "It ate up the ground with speed and had huge feet that looked almost like claws." He stopped and his shoulders slumped. "That's it. That's where the vision ended. It sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it?"

Cheetara thought for a moment. "No, Lion-O. If the Sword showed it to you then it's not stupid. It's likely that you will see more if we continue to try another time. You're tensing up once Sight Beyond Sight begins. It is important to stay relaxed. The breathing exercises will help with that."

Lion-O nodded. "Thank you for helping me." He found himself noticing the way the moonlight reflected across her fur in the most becoming way. He felt as if he could listen to the soft lilt of her voice all night long.

"You are very welcome," she smiled, feeling herself begin to tense up as she realized it was now her turn to mediate and practice the skills that Jaga had taught her. A sense of loss overtook her as she thought of her mentor and dear friend.

Lion-O frowned as he watched the cheetah worry her bottom lip with her teeth as she stiffened before him. "I can tell you are tensing up," he said softly. "Are you okay?

"I'm fine. Just a bit distracted." She shifted on the ground as she tried to get into a comfortable position.

"What is it?" Lion-O asked gently. "What's wrong?" He pinned the cheetah with an unrelenting gaze.

She found herself under the lion's spell. His eyes captivated her; it was almost as if she could see into his very soul. A flash of her earlier vision of Lion-O lying as still as death on a barren dusty ground flashed into her thoughts and she shivered.

Lion-O frowned. "Are you cold?" The night was rather warm; maybe she was getting sick.

"No," she sighed. "I was just thinking of Jaga." She still wasn't sure what to tell her king about her vision. "I think this is the time I miss him most."

"You were close," Lion-O commented.

"Yes; he was like a father to me." Cheetara felt tears welling in her eyes and hurriedly blinked them away.

"It's okay to cry, you know," Lion-O assured her. "You might feel better if you do."

As a cleric, Cheetara was used to being in control of her emotions. She sucked in a deep breath and forced a smile. "I'll be fine. Let's get started."

Lion-O looked skeptical. "If you're sure…" he trailed off.

"I am," she reassured him.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: We don't own ThunderCats.**

**Visions of the Heart**

**Chapter 3**

The lion watched the cheetah slip into her meditative state. He could feel her breaths slowing, deepening and he could see the tension in her strong thin frame disappear.

He wondered how many times Cheetara had sat with Jaga, attempting to meditate and gain control over her visions. _Does she see a scene play out or does she see glimpses as I did? _The red-haired king wondered to himself.

As he watched the young cleric concentrate with her eyes closed, now detached from the outside world, he wondered if she could sense his eyes on her. He didn't mean to stare, but she was so beautiful—and for the first time he was able to look at her without having to worry about giving her the wrong impression. _Well, maybe not WRONG impression, but definitely not the COMPLETE impression. _The young king couldn't help the half smile that dawned on his face. She was beautiful beyond a doubt; but she was so much more than that. She was brave and intelligent—young yet wise beyond her years. She didn't think his fascination with tech was crazy—she respected his opinion, unlike so many others.

The cheetah masked her emotions well, but she now let her guard down around him a little bit. She was sad—lost without her mentor and feeling uneasy because her talents were still a great mystery to her. Lion-O could sense that she was reluctant to tell the others about her visions and he completely understood that hesitation. After all, his own brother thought his interest in tech was 'hair-brained' and a 'waste of time'. Imagine what the tiger would have to say about visions of the future. No, for now, the meditation practices would remain their secret.

He thought he noticed some movement—the slightest flutter of her closed lashes against her cheek. Lion-O wondered if she was beginning to see something.

_A dagger held high in the air, its target unknowing. As the king looked out onto the horizon, the arm holding the dagger lurched forward—as the blade pierced the skin of king, his blue eyes shot wide. Pain and shock were clearly evident in his expression. He fell slowly to the ground and hit it hard. The king lay on the ground with a bloody gash on his forehead and an oozing puncture wound on his throat. _

_The king's azure eyes looked forward, but there was no life behind them. He didn't close his lids to protect his eyes from the sun. He didn't move. Lion-O was dead._

Cheetara gasped in a breath as her eyes snapped open. She looked at the young king seated across from her and she tried to calm herself down.

"Cheetara, are you all right?" Lion-O was instantly by her side trying to reassure her, to calm her. She'd had a vision, of that he was positive, but he was unsure of what she could have seen that would cause her to react that way. She seemed confused—frightened.

"I'm… okay." She was still panting slightly as she leaned back and tried get a hold of herself. She uncurled her legs from her meditative pose and she pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them and resting her forehead against them as she tried to process what she had just seen.

The lion didn't want to upset her further, but he didn't know how to help her through this if he didn't know what she had seen. "Cheetara, what did you see?" He asked tentatively. "I can tell that it really upset you."

"There you two are." The tiger's voice cause both Lion-O and Cheetara to jump in alarm. "Did I… interrupt something?" The tiger eyed each of them carefully as he waited for his answer.

"No!" Lion-O and Cheetara said in unison.

"We were just about to head back to camp," the lion quickly added.

"Really?" Sarcasm laced the tiger's voice. "I get the distinct impression that I walked in on something here."

"Actually, Tygra, I was thinking about Jaga after I cleaned up from dinner and I let my emotions get the better of me. Lion-O found me here and way trying to lift my spirits a bit."

The lion was shocked at how naturally she handled his brother's accusatory question. He could tell that Tygra was not convinced, but it was their word against his and, for now, it seemed a logical enough story.

"Well, you should get back to camp. It's late and we'll all be safer if we stick together."

"Agreed, brother. We're coming". The lion extended his hand down to help the cheetah up. After pulling her to her feet, she gave him a quick wink and followed the path back to their camp. As he trailed behind her, Lion-O couldn't help but smile.

Cheetara was so exhausted after their long day of travel that sleep came easier tonight. Snarf curled up with her once again and she was grateful for his presence. She didn't remember anything once she closed her eyes, but was awakened by pans around the campfire at the break of dawn.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up, glancing around their small camp. The kittens sat side by side on a fallen log, huddled together against the early morning chill and looking eagerly towards whatever Tygra was fixing for breakfast. Snarf curled in her lap and she scratched absentmindedly between his ears as she searched for Lion-O's familiar thatch of red hair. Fear clutched her belly as she realized he was nowhere to be seen.

"Tygra, where's Lion-O?" she asked in alarm, her entire body tensing.

"He scouted ahead," the tiger answered without taking his eyes off whatever he was stirring in the pan over the fire.

Muttering under her breath, Cheetara bolted to her feet, dumping Snarf unceremoniously to the ground.

"Snaaaaarf," he protested, scurrying across the camp to bury himself in Kit's arms.

Tygra looked up in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"He shouldn't be going off alone." She pulled out her staff and hefted its weight in her right hand.

"Lion-O can take care of himself," Tygra protested.

Cheetara shook her head. "Which way did he go? I have to find him."

Wordlessly, Tygra pointed north. Without waiting for further directions, Cheetara darted into the forest.

Lion-O traipsed down the overgrown path, hacking at the vines and bushes in his way with the Sword of Omens. The trail would be hard-going today, so they would have to plan for frequent stops to rest. Suddenly, the path narrowed and dipped down through a dark ravine. The fur on the back of Lion-O's neck prickled and he clasped the hilt of the Sword tightly, his blue-eyed gaze darting rapidly around the area.

Something moved in the shadows and he crept forward cautiously. He knew the best move would be to return to camp. There was safety in numbers. However, he didn't want to lead whoever or whatever this was back to the other ThunderCats. Placing one foot in front of the other, he inched forward, his body tensed and ready to spring.

A dark figure sprang from up above, tackling him and sending him sprawling to the ground. All of the breath rushed out of him in a whoosh, and the Sword clattered across the ground. Two dusty boots appeared in front of him and his eyes traveled upwards to see a bedraggled jackal and a mixed-breed dog of some sort. Both smelled as if they hadn't bathed in days and neither had seen a hair brush in quite a while.

"What do you want?" Lion-O ground out, his chest aching. He winced as the animal on his back, perhaps another dog, ground his knee between his shoulder blades.

"All of your money and that fancy sword," the jackal laughed, bending over to pick up the Sword of Omens.

Lion-O growled deep in his throat and struggled to get up, but was silenced by a kick in his stomach and then one to his face. He groaned, but fought to stay alert. He had to keep his eyes on the Sword.

A sudden flash of yellow and the Sword was gone from the jackal's very fingertips. "What?" he questioned, stumbling backwards in surprise. Another flash and the dog pressing Lion-O into the dirt suddenly found himself flat on the ground.

The cheetah came to a stop across the camp, barely out of breath. The Sword of Omens was clutched tightly in her hand. "Is that how you treat the Lord of the ThunderCats?" she sneered, tossing the Sword to Lion-O as he slowly got to his feet. She twirled her staff before her as Lion-O wielded the Sword.

In one swift swing, she had the jackal and the mixed-breed dog on the ground. Lion-O turned toward his attacker and the dog stumbled backwards, falling over his own feet in his haste to get away. The other two, dazed and injured, scrambled after him.

Cheetara waited until they disappeared from sight before turning to Lion-O, ruby eyes flashing. "Just what were you thinking?" She placed her hands on her hips and stared her king down angrily.

Lion-O's mouth gaped open in surprise.

"You could have been killed!" The lion stood speechless, shocked at the sharp tone from his cleric.

"I only went to scout ahead. I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't think!" She didn't even attempt to hide the anger she felt. "You are the King, Lion-O and we cannot afford to lose you. You can't just go running off by yourself."

He didn't know what to say to calm her down. She was trembling as she stood staring at him, a look of fury on her face. He had never seen the cleric so upset before. Cheetara had always been so even tempered, but she stood before him with fire in her eyes. Lion-O's mind began to wander as he realized how pretty she looked when she was angry. "I…well… I'm uh… I'm sorry, Cheetara."

"From now on, I will accompany you on all scouting expeditions." Her tone left no room for argument.

"Fine."

She took a deep breath and exhaled, visibly relaxing before him. "All right. Let's head back to camp and discuss our plans."

She turned and began walking before he could answer. He quickened his step and caught up with her, not really sure what to say.

"Do you still want to meditate tonight?"

Cheetara stopped so suddenly that Lion-O managed to walk several feet past her before he noticed and turned around to look at her.

She looked at him for a long moment before finally responding. "Yes. Why would that change?" She couldn't hide the tinge of hurt in her voice. "I thought we agreed to help one another."

"Um, well, we did agree to help one another, but…"

"But?" she questioned.

"But you seem so angry at me right now I thought you may have changed your mind." The lion instinctively held his breath as he waited for her answer.

Her eyes met his and her tension seemed to visibly melt away. "Lion-O, I'm not angry with you."

"Really, because you could have fooled me."

The cheetah took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Lion-O, I was angry that you put yourself at risk, but I'm not angry with you. I'm your cleric and it is my duty to protect you."

"I'm not totally helpless you know," he challenged her with a bit of annoyance in his tone.

"I never said that you were helpless, and I certainly don't see you that way. However, you are the King of Thundera and you must understand that along with your crown comes enemies—people who would seek to harm you simply because of your title."

"I never really thought about that. My father was the King of Thundera. I suppose it still seems so unreal."

"Lion-O, I know that the crown and all that it entails was placed upon you in a way that no king should have to endure. I do believe that you are quite capable of ruling Thundera. I simply want to make sure that you don't put yourself at unnecessary risk."

"So, you are a cleric who is angry at her King for wandering off without protection?" he asked her tentatively.

She thought for a moment before finally responding. "I am the last cleric who will do everything in my power to make sure that no harm comes to my king, but I am also your friend who cares about you. Other than Jaga, you are the only person who I've ever talked to about my visions. I trust you, Lion-O; I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either." The lion stepped closer and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm sorry I went off on my own. I promise I won't do it again."

She melted into his arms and hugged him back fiercely. "I'm sorry that I was so harsh. I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me, Cheetara." Lion-O pulled her tighter and hoped she didn't realize that his heart was pounding in his chest at having her so close.

"No, you don't understand. I…I saw…something, Lion-O. I saw a vision of you when we were meditating. Actually that was the second time I had seen it, but the image is so fleeting that I can't get a clear picture." She felt the hot tears begin to silently make their way down her cheeks and she sniffled and tried to regain her composure.

Lion-O felt her tears against his shoulder and he realized that she was trembling again, like she had before. He pulled back just far enough to look into her eyes. "Tell me."

"I saw you fall—you were hurt, badly hurt. I couldn't see how it happened or who was responsible." She felt like a weight had been lifted from her heart by finally telling him of her vision. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you earlier. I meant to and then Tygra found us and I didn't want to say anything in front of him. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry about. Now that we know there is a danger somewhere we'll take precautions to make sure that the vision doesn't come to pass," he reassured her and pulled her close again, embracing her tightly and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

She sniffled and looked up into his blue eyes. Before he could think it through, he leaned down and placed his lips on hers.

Cheetara stiffened at first, but then opened her mouth and responded to his kiss. Lion-O's large, warm hands splayed over the bare fur of her back as her arms wound around his neck and her fingers tangled in this thick, red hair.

Lion-O sighed into her mouth and tasted her sweetness. He tugged her body closer and she fit snuggly against him just as if she had been made for Thundera's new king. Lion-O moaned into her mouth and the sound seemed to bring her back to reality.

Cheetara pushed her hands flat against his chest and backed away from him, her hair mussed and her lips swollen from his kisses. "We can't," she panted. "We can't do this."

Lion-O, breathing heavily, ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I just—we just—," Cheetara hugged herself and began walking back towards the camp.

"Cheetara?" Lion-O called, hurrying after her and grabbing her arm with a gentle hand. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, tugged her arm away carefully, and kept walking. "I've been wondering if we should tell Tygra and the kittens about my vision. That way they can keep help me keep an eye on you."

Lion-O stepped in front of her and she nearly ran into him before she could stop. He gripped her upper arms gently. "Cheetara, I trust you," he said softly, "and I have the Sword of Omens. We'll be vigilant and I'll be fine."

She shook her head. "I know what I saw, Lion-O. We have to be careful."

"And we will be," he replied as she pulled away and hurried toward the camp.

They found Tygra waiting for them with his pack on his back and the kittens at his side. "Took you two long enough," he growled.

"We ran into a problem," Lion-O muttered as he watched Cheetara sling her pack onto her back.

"What kind of trouble?" the tiger asked.

"Dogs," Cheetara answered flatly.

Kit and Kat looked at one another before Kat spoke up. "Dogs aren't so bad."

"These aren't the kind of dogs we see in Thundera," she answered. "These were spoiling for a fight."

"Then let's get out of here," Tygra told them, gazing between his brother and the beautiful cheetah curiously. Something didn't seem right between them.

Cheetara felt Tygra's eyes on her and ran a quick hand through her blonde hair. She hoped she didn't have a "just kissed" expression on her face. She caught Lion-O's gaze and felt a blush spread over her cheeks. Memories of his kiss lingered fresh in her mind and she was startled to find that she was tracing her lips with her fingertips as she remembered his insistent yet gentle lips on her own. Quickly, she dropped her hand to her side and followed Tygra and Lion-O.

Kit and Kat looked at one another, shrugged, and scampered down the road after the older cats.

It was a cloudy, dark day of travel and by early afternoon it began to rain. They were all soaked through to the skin, even Snarf who huddled in Lion-O's arms under the young king's cloak. After slogging through mud up to their ankles for the better part of the afternoon, they decided to stop and make an early camp for the night under a rocky overhang.

"I'll go look for firewood," Lion-O volunteered. He felt Cheetara's steely gaze on him. "Would you like to come with me?" he asked her cautiously.

She nodded and followed him silently back out into the light rain that continued to fall.

They walked a far enough distance from their camp to ensure they wouldn't be heard. They doubted that anyone would follow them with the insistent drizzle falling. On their walk they picked up any pieces of wood that had been kept dry by leaning trees, bushes and underbrush so they could use their time alone to meditate rather than look for firewood.

They found a spot that was heavily sheltered by the thick trees and managed to stay relatively dry once they sat down. The lion looked at the beautiful cleric and noticed that she was avoiding his eyes.

"Cheetara—I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I would never do that on purpose."

The cheetah visibly relaxed and let out a soft sigh, considering her words carefully. "Lion-O, you didn't upset me and you didn't do anything wrong." She looked up and met his azure eyes. "I'm afraid of becoming distracted and letting my guard slip. My visions are a warning and if I let something happen to because I was preoccupied and distracted I would never forgive myself. "

"So that's what this is all about?" Lion-O's sense of relief was tangible and he couldn't hide the smile on his face. "You're just worried about protecting me?"

"JUST?" Cheetara sounded defensive—and annoyed. "A cleric's worry of failing to protect the life of the king is hardly a small thought. "

Lion-O began to chuckle and Cheetara felt her cheeks flush with anger. "What's so funny?" _Yes, she was definitely annoyed. _

"I was afraid that you were angry at me for kissing you—afraid that you didn't want me to kiss you."

"Lion-O, you are the Lord of the ThunderCats and I am the only remaining cleric charged with the honor of protecting you. I have to keep my wits about me and I can't allow myself to fall prey to… distractions."

Lion-O smirked. "So, I'm… distracting?"

"Yes, very distracting. Well, what I meant to say… um…"

"What you meant to say was that you wouldn't mind if I kissed you again?"

"Lion-O!" The cheetah sounded exasperated. "This isn't—" Cheetara's words were cut short when the king quickly leaned in and kissed her. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her deeply. Much to his surprise instead of pulling away she wrapped her arms around him and passionately returned his kiss.

They parted breathlessly, Lion-O nuzzling the cheetah's neck. "If we don't get back, Tygra is going to come looking for us."

Cheetara agreed. "I think we should pass on our meditation session just for tonight."

Lion-O stood and offered her his hand, tugging her gently to her feet. "I'd much rather stay out here with you."

Cheetara didn't answer; her brow was furrowed in thought.

"What are you thinking?" Lion-O asked her quietly.

"I think-" she began and then paused for a moment. "I think we should tell the others about our visions. Then they would be more observant to the events unfolding around us."

Lion-O thought for a moment. "If you're sure," he told her, "then that's what we'll do."

She turned to smile up at him, the rain striking her pretty face. Blushing shyly, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips before resuming her trek back to their campsite. They were both wet and shivering when they returned with armloads of wood.

"What took you so long?" Tygra grouched. "I was getting ready to come find you. It seems like every time the two of you go off together you stay a long time." He quirked an eyebrow and studied Cheetara carefully. Her blonde hair was a bit mussed, whether from the rain or Lion-O running his fingers through it he couldn't tell. The cheetah's lips were swollen though, as if she'd been thoroughly kissed. The tiger's gaze slid to Lion-O. The lion's cheeks were slightly flushed and his gaze remained glued to the pretty cheetah.

"We need to talk to you, all of you," Cheetara clarified as she knelt to start a fire.

The kittens huddled together under Tygra's cloak as they eagerly waited for the fire's warmth.

"What is it?" Tygra queried as he held his hands out toward the growing flames.

Lion-O settled himself on the opposite side of the fire and Snarf climbed into his lap. He stroked the little creature between the ears and looked at Cheetara to begin the conversation.

She glanced around the fire from one cat to another watching as the firelight flickered across their faces. It was so difficult to know where to start. Nerves fluttered in the pit of her stomach as she rolled her bottom lip between her teeth anxiously.

"Well?" Tygra asked, a bit impatiently this time.

"I have visions," she said softly. "It's not something I can control, and often it's just flashes or bits and pieces."

"Visions of what?" the tiger asked, his interest piqued.

She sighed and continued. "The day Thundera fell, I had a vision of the fall."

To Be Continued…


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: We do not own ThunderCats.

Visions of the Heart

Chapter 4

"And you told no one?" Tygra asked with a roar, leaning forward toward her with anger flashing in his eyes. "My father could still be alive; Thundera could still be the greatest city on Third Earth."

"Tygra," Lion-O snapped, "let her finish!"

The tiger clenched his jaw shut tightly, and waited for Cheetara to continue.

"I told Jaga," she said softly, her eyes filled with pain, "but we didn't have enough time to warn anyone. The attack began as we were on our way to warn King Claudus. It was too late." Frustration soaked into her voice and her hands clenched into fists in her lap.

Lion-O reached out and placed a hand over hers. "You did your best, Cheetara," he consoled her.

"If she had done her best then Father would still be alive and Thundera wouldn't be in ruins!" Tygra spat as he surged to his feet and left the campfire, stalking off into the lingering drizzle.

Cheetara's breath caught in her throat at the tiger's words. She pushed to her feet as if to follow him. Lion-O caught her gently by the wrist without rising.

"None of this is your fault, Cheetara,"Lion-O soothed. "Sit down; he'll be back once he cools off."

The kittens and Snarf watched with wide eyes as the scene before them played out.

"Maybe he's right," Cheetara breathed as she folded her legs beneath her once again, her crimson gaze begging him for his honest opinion. "If I had moved faster, interpreted the vision earlier, maybe there was something-"

Lion-O cut her off. "No, Cheetara, from what you told me there was nothing you could have done. Once Tygra calms down enough and hears the whole story he won't blame you for anything." The lion squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb in soothing circles over her smooth fur.

She pulled her hand away and moved to her bedroll. "I'm tired," she murmured. "I'll see you in the morning." Turning her back to the others, she snuggled under the blanket and clamped her eyes shut, wishing she could forget about the events surrounding the fall of Thundera. It was like a surreal nightmare from which she couldn't wake up. The cheetah could feel Lion-O's gaze boring into her back, but she forced herself to try to relax. She hoped Lion-O was right. Maybe once Tygra calmed down, everything would be okay.

The kittens scampered off to bed soon after Cheetara had retired for the evening. Snarf followed them and curled up with Kit. Lion-O gazed into the flames and waited for his brother to return. He knew that Tygra's words would eat at the cheetah cleric in the days to come; the damage had been done.

It was nearly an hour later before Tygra returned. He sat down silently across the fire from his brother, staring aimlessly into the flames.

Lion-O cleared his throat. "You know it wasn't her fault, Tygra. There was nothing else she could have done."

"How do you know that, Lion-O?" Tygra sighed. "There's something going on between you two; you'd support her no matter what."

Lion-O growled low in his throat. "Cheetara is my friend, Tygra; we spend time together." Lion-O felt his cheeks warm at his brother's insinuation; he preferred to keep his and Cheetara's "closeness" private. "As soon as she told Jaga about her vision they headed back to Thundera to tell Father. Her visions aren't something she can control. She can't predict them, and sometimes they're just bits and pieces of something, very hard to understand."

Tygra tossed a stray twig into the fire and stood. "I'm heading to bed." Without another word, he crawled into his bedroll and pulled the covers over his head.

The lion king sighed and followed suit. He found it difficult to fall asleep, his mind replaying over and over the injured expression on Cheetara's face when Tygra had spewed his venomous words.

Everyone was tired and grumpy the next morning except for the kittens. They bounced out of their bedrolls with their usual energy, chattering happily away. Cheetara was quiet, too quiet. She kept to herself and didn't meet anyone's eyes as she worked quietly with Lion-O to prepare breakfast.

Lion-O's gaze followed her every move. Her emotional pain was palpable. She was blaming herself for what happened in Thundera, for Claudus' death, and for Jaga's. The lion king was tempted to pound his brother for what he had said to the cheetah cleric.

They ate in silence. Even the kittens seemed to sense the mood around the campfire and kept their mouths closed. After breakfast, Cheetara gathered the dishes and headed for the water. Lion-O moved to follow her.

The cheetah shook her head. "No, Lion-O. I can handle it by myself this morning. I need to be alone and have some time to think." At his crestfallen look she sighed. "I'm okay; I promise."

His blue eyes were anxious, but he nodded.

"Lion-O," Kit called, "come help us pack up the food."

The royal lion winced as some of their precious food supplies hit the dirt, and he hurried to assist with the packing.

Cheetara knelt at the water's edge and dipped the first bowl into the river. Her stomach rolled painfully; she'd had to force herself to eat knowing that Lion-O would be upset if she didn't. Footsteps crunched through the underbrush behind her and she turned to see Tygra approaching with a smirk firmly in place on his face. Her stomach burned with nerves. She didn't feel like dealing with him right now.

"Tygra, about last night," Cheetara began. "Please let me explain." She placed the bowl on the soft grass and stood, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Lion-O already attempted to explain things to me. He said that you tried to warn Father, but there wasn't time." Tygra leveled his cool gaze on the cleric.

"Yes, Jaga and I were on our way back to tell him what I'd seen when the attack started," Cheetara informed him.

Tygra snorted. "So you have these visions? I think they're worthless if you ask me. What good are they if you don't have them in time to help anyone?"

Cheetara looked stricken at his words. "No, Tygra, I-"

"Really think about it, Cheetara," the Tygra pointed out. "What good are your visions? Can they help anyone?"

"Jaga always said-," she began.

"Jaga's gone," the tiger broke in. "Thundera has fallen. "What good are those visions to us now?"

Cheetara wore a crestfallen look on her face. "Sometimes my visions come earlier than the event, but they're hard to control."

"Then maybe you should work harder to control them," Tygra snapped. "If you'd had a better handle on them my father might still be alive." With a grunt of anger, he turned on his heel and strode back to the camp.

Cheetara tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and felt tears well in her eyes. Was Tygra right? Were her visions worthless? Lion-O didn't seem to think so. He was ready to support her and help her nurture her skill, what Jaga thought of as her gift. At this point, Cheetara wasn't quite sure what to think. With a sigh she returned to the dishes, eager to finish the chore and head back to camp so they could continue their quest.

Tygra was dowsing the fire when Cheetara returned. He met her gaze and she turned away, storing their dishes in her pack.

Lion-O followed her across the camp quietly. He had noticed the absence of his brother after he'd helped the kittens with the food. That only meant one thing. Tygra had followed Cheetara to the river. "Is everything okay?" he asked softly.

"Yes, it's fine," she replied a bit stiffly as she fought to keep her emotions under control.

Tygra walked up then and Cheetara pressed her lips tightly together. Lion-O glanced at his brother and opened his mouth to speak, but the tiger cut him off.

"We need to get moving. It looks like another storm is blowing in." Tygra nodded toward the threatening clouds that were building in the sky.

Lion-O frowned. The cloud bank had built up quickly. The cats all wrapped themselves in their cloaks, hoisted their packs, and hit the trail. Travel soon became quite miserable as a chilly drizzle began to fall.

Snarf curled in the lion king's arms and the kittens shivered in their cloaks as they followed the older cats down the road. Tygra took the lead, crashing through any underbrush that grew over the road, if you could call it a road. At times it seemed more like a trail.

Lunch was a quiet affair. They huddled beneath an outcropping of rock and Lion-O handed out dried meat and some cheese. It didn't really satisfy their hungry bellies, but it would have to do for now. There was no place to start a fire in the saturated wilderness.

At long last, late in the afternoon the rain ceased although the air was still chilly. Cheetara couldn't wait to huddle into her bedroll and close her eyes. She was really feeling her lack of sleep from the night before.

A rickety cabin came into view set far off from the road. Lion-O looked at the others. "Maybe we should see if anyone lives there. Maybe they'd put us up for the night."

"What have we got to lose?" Tygra asked. "We're hungry and soaked. Let's go."

As they approached the sagging structure it was obvious that it was vacant and had been for quite a long time. "Guess there's no hope of a warm meal," Lion-O sighed as he carefully climbed the warped steps and peered in through the doorway. An old lantern sat on a dusty table. It didn't long for him to light it. Lifting it over his head, Lion-O surveyed the cabin around them. It was dirty, but dry and the roof seemed sound.

"Maybe we can start a fire in the fireplace," Cheetara said hopefully. "Looks like there's a wood pile in the corner."

Tygra made quick work of starting a fire and they all huddled around, shivering inside of their damp cloaks.

"We're starved," Kat complained as he rubbed his stomach.

Lion-O stood reluctantly. "I'll go see if I can catch some fish or do some hunting."

Cheetara stood. "We can make do with the supplies we have. Don't go back out in the rain."

He shook his head. "We need to hold on to our supplies if we can. I won't be long."

The cheetah sighed. "I'm going with you."

"Cheetara, I-," he began.

"Don't argue. It won't do any good." She propped her hands on her hips as if daring him to say anything.

"All right," he sighed. "Let's go."

Cheetara followed him out into the darkness. It was hard to see much of anything; the moon was covered by clouds. She lifted her nose to try to catch the scent of any prey, but the rain had washed all of the smells away.

Lion-O's warm hand incased hers and her heart jumped in her chest. "What did my brother say to you?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. "It's nothing, Lion-O."

"Something has been bothering you all day. I know Tygra cornered you this morning. What did he say?" Lion-O reached for her other hand and tugged her around so that she was facing him in the darkness.

Cheetara swallowed hard. "Lion-O, it doesn't matter."

"It does if he hurt you," the lion replied softly, "and I can tell that he did."

"Tygra thinks," she began hesitantly.

"Yes?" Lion-O prodded.

"Tygra thinks that my visions are useless. They come too late to do any good." Cheetara felt her cheeks burn with shame. What if Lion-O changed his mind and suddenly agreed with his brother?

"Cheetara, that's not true," the lion king protested. "Jaga saw the merit in your visions, and so do I. You are learning to control them, but it's difficult. It will take time, and even when you are able to have more control you may not be able to do anything about their timing. My brother just doesn't believe in anything he can't understand. He needs tangible proof."

The cheetah felt her shoulders relax. Lion-O still supported her and believed in her. "Thank you, Lion-O, for believing in me."

He squeezed her hands. "I will always believe in you," he said softly, leaning forward shyly to press his lips to hers.

Cheetara returned his kiss tentatively, but pulled back when the scent of nearby prey tickled her nostrils. "Do you smell that?" she whispered.

Lion-O lifted his head and caught the scent before nodding at her. Before he could react, Cheetara crept out of his arms and quietly stalked her prey. The lion king followed behind her, his eyes memorizing the graceful movements of her lithe body. A small furry animal moving in the clearing caught his eye. Before he could even blink, the cheetah moved in a blur, deftly catching the creature before it could take a step. Her nimble hands quickly took care of what needed to be done and she returned to his side with dinner in her hands.

"You're amazing," Lion-O breathed in awe.

Cheetara blushed at his praise. "We need to eat," she said simply.

"We would have gone hungry if I was doing the hunting alone," Lion-O commented, his hand moving to the small of the cheetah's back as they turned toward the cabin.

Cheetara glanced up at him in the dim light and found herself caught in the intensity of his gaze. Unable to stop herself, she pressed one more quick kiss to his lips. That was to hold them both over, she told herself. Who knew when they would have time alone again?

They roasted the small animal in the fireplace once they returned to the others and enjoyed a hot dinner. It felt good to go to bed with full bellies for once.

Cheetara curled in her bedroll next to Kit and tugged the blanket up to her chin. Her body ached all over, but she was so exhausted that she didn't care. She fell asleep listening to the comforting crackle of the fire.

Her sleep was invaded by a dream or perhaps another vision.

_A deafening roar filled the air. Sunlight glinted off of a giant metal beast. Its claws churned up the dirt and red eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. It slid to a stop and dust filled the air making it difficult to breath. She was choking. There was the sound of metal on metal and a cat appeared standing on top of the metal monster. Before Cheetara could react, the huge cat leapt towards the ground straight at Lion-O._

"Lion-O!" Cheetara jolted awake and sat up in her bedroll. The room was cloaked in darkness; the fire had burned down.

The other cats were sitting up and staring at her with questions in their eyes as moonlight streamed through the window. The clouds had cleared; the storms had moved on.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Lion-O called out.

"I had another vision," Cheetara panted.

To be continued…

7


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